Impact of Outreach on Physics Student Development: Quantitative Results from a National Survey

TL;DR

This study quantitatively examines how participation in informal physics outreach programs influences students' physics identity, confidence, career skills, and sense of belonging through a national survey, highlighting significant positive correlations.

Contribution

It provides the first large-scale, quantitative evidence linking physics outreach participation to student development and identity, based on a national survey analysis.

Findings

Outreach participation correlates with increased physics communication confidence.

Engagement in outreach enhances key career skills among students.

Participation is associated with a stronger growth mindset and sense of belonging.

Abstract

This work reports on results from the first national study of the impact of student facilitation of informal physics outreach programs on their physics identity, sense of belonging, and essential career skill development. Drawing on results from studies at a single institution with a well-developed physics outreach program, a national survey was developed and distributed through the Society of Physics Students' network to more than five thousand individuals. Responses to closed-form questions on the survey were analyzed descriptively and using multiple regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between student participation in informal physics outreach programs and the constructs of interest. Results show a strong association between students engaging in outreach with their confidence in communicating their physics knowledge, the development of key career skills, and direct connections with growth mindset and sense of belonging. These results may be useful to physics and other STEM departments around the United States who are seeking to elevate and broaden the learning experience of students.